Ontario: Unparalleled opportunities in Financial Services

A concentrated market opportunity

Ontario’s financial services companies are concentrated in downtown Toronto, close to IT, professional and other services. That concentration will give you a critical strategic advantage.

Our financial services sector generates approximately $63 billion in GDP and employs about 365,000 people in some 12,000 financial services firms. In Toronto, Ontario, the centre of Canada’s financial services industry, your company will be at the heart of the action.
Toronto is North America’s second largest financial services hub after New York City in terms of industry employment.

The city is Canada’s financial services capital and headquarters for:

Canada’s four largest banks, which are among the world’s 50 largest banks by market capitalization

more than half of the world’s top 10 banks by market capitalization

three of the top five largest Canadian insurers

two of the top 20 global pension funds

eight of the 10 largest Canadian asset managers

the second largest chartered financial analyst (CFA) society in the world

the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), which leads globally in the number of total new listings and total mining listings, and ranks ninth in the world by market capitalization

The concentration of financial services activity can give your business an advantage. You’ll easily be connected to leading financial institutions, funds, innovative IT and great talent.

44,000 business graduates a year

Our highly educated, skilled, multilingual and multicultural financial services workforce is 365,000 people strong and accounts for nearly half of Canada’s financial services employment. They have the creativity and energy to make your business prosper.

A steady supply of skilled, highly educated talent

We produce a steady supply of top talent from 44 universities and colleges, including 14 MBA programs at renowned institutions like Rotman, Schulich, Ivey and Queens.

We’re home to two of the top 10 international business schools.

Our 44 universities and colleges produce more than 44,000 business graduates a year.

Ontario’s colleges and universities offer close to 800 cooperative education programs in a variety of disciplines. University of Waterloo’s program is the largest in the world with over 120 programs, an annual enrolment of 19,000 students and participation of more than 6,300 employers.

Globally-recognized professionals

We are home to:

about 9,000 chartered financial analysts (CFAs)

around 88,000 chartered professional accountants (CPAs)

A destination of choice for global leaders

You’ll be in great company. We’re the destination of choice for global leaders like Bank of America, Bank of China, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs

Dynamic, diverse and welcoming

Your business will also benefit from our cultural and linguistic diversity. More than three million people fluently speak a language other than English or French.

International students in a two-year MBA can stay and work for three years post-graduation; and one more year if they are enrolled in a one-year program, with possible extension.

Cost savings of up to 28%

We offer competitive costs for your business operations. In Ontario, you’ll find potentially significant cost savings over many other international financial centres.

International results (US = 100.0)Industry: Professional servicesOperation: International financial services

Country

Cost Index

Rank

Canada

72.4

1

Netherlands

77.3

2

Australia

78.3

3

Italy

80.3

4

Germany

81.4

5

France

82.8

6

Japan

85.6

7

United Kingdom

86.7

8

United States

100.0

9

Source: KPMG Competitive Alternatives model 2016

One of the world’s soundest banking systems

Ontario’s stable economy can be largely attributed to its position at the heart of Canada’s highly advanced banking and financial systems.

Maximize profit and minimize risk in Ontario

Here, you can maximize profit and minimize risk in an environment of economic, political and regulatory stability. Our economy proved exceptionally resilient during the financial crisis.

We have advanced, transparent and internationally respected financial and regulatory systems, including effective intellectual property and privacy rules.

Ontario is also a hub of leading-edge risk management thinking, applied research, education and training through the Global Risk Institute in Financial Services, a collaboration of regulators, risk experts, academics, policy makers and practitioners.

Recognized advantages

Global financial leaders have recognized the competitive advantages they can gain by relocating or expanding their operations here including access to major cities in the United States.

For example, in 2011, China Investment Corporation, China’s sovereign wealth fund, opened its first overseas office not in London, New York or Chicago, but in Toronto, Ontario.